| Matt Kressel September 13, 2008 |
About Matt Kressel
Matthew Kressel realized upon his Saturnian return that his
right brain was being neglected. Prior to that time he had
invested most of his days writing computer programs and most
of his nights being awakened at all hours by petulant pagers in
order to insert tiny bits of logic into mindless, blinking, calculating
machines so that the human race wouldn't have to stop its
endless grinding and bustle and think for a moment about
where this incessant activity might be taking them.
His right brain had sat patient all that time, sneaking in a few
poems, some drawings, and a story or two here and there. But
his left brain wouldn't have it.
So one day his right brain initiated a rebellion. Matthew took up
guitar playing and drawing and writing all in the same year. His
left brain didn't know what to do; it fought back with threats of
financial ruin, of insanity, of ever more late night fits where it
tried to insert its tiresome logic into a world that would not
become less ineffable merely because humanity made feeble
attempts to quantize the universe into something known.
And since that time, though his left hemisphere oftentimes resists
his bursts of creation, he has published several stories, started the
speculative fiction magazine, Sybil's Garage, and has completed a
novel. He also sometimes writes music, though he won't play it
for you unless you ask.
(But what about his drawings?)
Writing takes a lot of time, but if you ask nicely, he might just let
you see some of his old stuff.
For more on Matthew Kressel:
Matthew Kressel
matt@sensesfive.com
www.matthewkressel.net
Senses Five Press
www.sensesfive.com
Matthew Kressel realized upon his Saturnian return that his
right brain was being neglected. Prior to that time he had
invested most of his days writing computer programs and most
of his nights being awakened at all hours by petulant pagers in
order to insert tiny bits of logic into mindless, blinking, calculating
machines so that the human race wouldn't have to stop its
endless grinding and bustle and think for a moment about
where this incessant activity might be taking them.
His right brain had sat patient all that time, sneaking in a few
poems, some drawings, and a story or two here and there. But
his left brain wouldn't have it.
So one day his right brain initiated a rebellion. Matthew took up
guitar playing and drawing and writing all in the same year. His
left brain didn't know what to do; it fought back with threats of
financial ruin, of insanity, of ever more late night fits where it
tried to insert its tiresome logic into a world that would not
become less ineffable merely because humanity made feeble
attempts to quantize the universe into something known.
And since that time, though his left hemisphere oftentimes resists
his bursts of creation, he has published several stories, started the
speculative fiction magazine, Sybil's Garage, and has completed a
novel. He also sometimes writes music, though he won't play it
for you unless you ask.
(But what about his drawings?)
Writing takes a lot of time, but if you ask nicely, he might just let
you see some of his old stuff.
For more on Matthew Kressel:
Matthew Kressel
matt@sensesfive.com
www.matthewkressel.net
Senses Five Press
www.sensesfive.com
Post Meeting Write-up
Yes as Steve mentioned Whispers From Beyond/Face The Fiction
was a good time (as usual). Matt began by reading his short
story "The Bricks of Gelecek", from the upcoming Ellen
Datlow-edited anthology, Naked City: New Tales of Urban
Fantasy. The story has a creepy almost Twilight Zone-ish feel to
it. After reading to us, Matt opened the floor up to questions.
The questions were wide and varied. Everything from what he
likes to read to what he grew up reading, how he came to
publish his 'zine Sybil's Garage and how it got its name, etc.
The story of how his 'zine came to be known as Sybil's Garage
is kind of an amusing story. He was out with some friends in
Hoboken, near Steven's Institute of Technology and he
remembered Sybil's Cave. Sybil's Cave was the location of the
murder of Mary Rogers in 1841 which inspired the Edgar Allan
Poe story "The Mystery of Marie Roget". Matt suggested calling
the 'zine Sybil's Cave when one of his friends joked that since
Hoboken is being built up and paved over everywhere, Sybil's
Cave was probably a garage now. Matt adopted the name of
Sybil's Garage for his 'zine. Joe Havasy confirmed that Sybil's
Cave does still actually exist as a cave. He said the entrance to it is
covered over to keep kids from the nearby skatepark out, but it is
still there.
Matt brought with him two versions of Sybil's Garage 1,
which featured short stories by his friends, and a copy of Sybil's
Garage 2. Sybil's Garage 3, 4, and 5 were available for
purchase as was Paper Cities - an Anthology of Urban
Fantasy, all publications from Matt's company, Senses Five
Press (www.sensesfive. com).
As Steve pointed out, Matt is a member of the Altered Fluid
writing group and co-hosts the KGB Fantastic Fiction reading
series with Ellen Datlow. In an email to me after his presentation,
he reminded me to let everyone know that the SFSNNJ is
welcome to come to KGB and if we do, he wants us to say hello.
We adjourned to Stateline Diner. However, Matt and his cousin
(his ride) were unable to join us. They were off to meet up with
our March guest and Matt's personal friend, John Joseph
Adams who recommended us to Matt. (Jo)
I enjoyed Matt's opening of the Q & A segment: "Are you all
familiar with the book What Color Is Your Parachute? Well, I had
no parachute. I jumped without one - no plan, and I never
thought of being a writer." He then went on to discuss how he
became a writer (humble beginnings in a print shop) and editor.
You can check out his Senses Five Press at
www.sensesfive.com. He thoroughly answered all of the
questions asked and had a great sense of humor. (AM)
We opened our Whispers from Beyond segment at 7:30 with
Kate Landis reading a Jonathan Maberry story from a relatively
new anthology (whose name escapes me at the moment),
which had everyone mesmerized. Then we chatted for a few
minutes before I introduced Matt Kressel to the group
"promptly at 8:00 p.m" (thank you, Brian K).
Matt proceeded to read his complete short story "The Bricks of
Gelecek" which again had everyone mesmerized (especially
Gene!). Matt talked about how he came to found Senses Five
Press & publish the magazine Sybil's Garage (named after a
cave in Hoboken which probably has turned into a garage by
now, according to his friends), which he decided not to use to
boost his own fiction writing (although he does contribute essays
and interviews). He also discussed the writers group he belongs
to & the Fantastic Fiction reading series he co-hosts. He said that
writing is his first love but he enjoys the publishing end of it too.
Questions were asked & Matt had a chance to sell & sign copies
of his zine & the anthology Paper Cities before heading back to
Brooklyn. The room was straightened up before folks headed off
to the Stateline Diner to continue the evening.
Next month the SFSNNJ returns to "haunt" the Bergen Museum
of Science at the Bergen Mall in Paramus with the legendary
"Ghost Hunter" Linda Zimmerman. (Steve Spinosa)
Yes as Steve mentioned Whispers From Beyond/Face The Fiction
was a good time (as usual). Matt began by reading his short
story "The Bricks of Gelecek", from the upcoming Ellen
Datlow-edited anthology, Naked City: New Tales of Urban
Fantasy. The story has a creepy almost Twilight Zone-ish feel to
it. After reading to us, Matt opened the floor up to questions.
The questions were wide and varied. Everything from what he
likes to read to what he grew up reading, how he came to
publish his 'zine Sybil's Garage and how it got its name, etc.
The story of how his 'zine came to be known as Sybil's Garage
is kind of an amusing story. He was out with some friends in
Hoboken, near Steven's Institute of Technology and he
remembered Sybil's Cave. Sybil's Cave was the location of the
murder of Mary Rogers in 1841 which inspired the Edgar Allan
Poe story "The Mystery of Marie Roget". Matt suggested calling
the 'zine Sybil's Cave when one of his friends joked that since
Hoboken is being built up and paved over everywhere, Sybil's
Cave was probably a garage now. Matt adopted the name of
Sybil's Garage for his 'zine. Joe Havasy confirmed that Sybil's
Cave does still actually exist as a cave. He said the entrance to it is
covered over to keep kids from the nearby skatepark out, but it is
still there.
Matt brought with him two versions of Sybil's Garage 1,
which featured short stories by his friends, and a copy of Sybil's
Garage 2. Sybil's Garage 3, 4, and 5 were available for
purchase as was Paper Cities - an Anthology of Urban
Fantasy, all publications from Matt's company, Senses Five
Press (www.sensesfive. com).
As Steve pointed out, Matt is a member of the Altered Fluid
writing group and co-hosts the KGB Fantastic Fiction reading
series with Ellen Datlow. In an email to me after his presentation,
he reminded me to let everyone know that the SFSNNJ is
welcome to come to KGB and if we do, he wants us to say hello.
We adjourned to Stateline Diner. However, Matt and his cousin
(his ride) were unable to join us. They were off to meet up with
our March guest and Matt's personal friend, John Joseph
Adams who recommended us to Matt. (Jo)
I enjoyed Matt's opening of the Q & A segment: "Are you all
familiar with the book What Color Is Your Parachute? Well, I had
no parachute. I jumped without one - no plan, and I never
thought of being a writer." He then went on to discuss how he
became a writer (humble beginnings in a print shop) and editor.
You can check out his Senses Five Press at
www.sensesfive.com. He thoroughly answered all of the
questions asked and had a great sense of humor. (AM)
We opened our Whispers from Beyond segment at 7:30 with
Kate Landis reading a Jonathan Maberry story from a relatively
new anthology (whose name escapes me at the moment),
which had everyone mesmerized. Then we chatted for a few
minutes before I introduced Matt Kressel to the group
"promptly at 8:00 p.m" (thank you, Brian K).
Matt proceeded to read his complete short story "The Bricks of
Gelecek" which again had everyone mesmerized (especially
Gene!). Matt talked about how he came to found Senses Five
Press & publish the magazine Sybil's Garage (named after a
cave in Hoboken which probably has turned into a garage by
now, according to his friends), which he decided not to use to
boost his own fiction writing (although he does contribute essays
and interviews). He also discussed the writers group he belongs
to & the Fantastic Fiction reading series he co-hosts. He said that
writing is his first love but he enjoys the publishing end of it too.
Questions were asked & Matt had a chance to sell & sign copies
of his zine & the anthology Paper Cities before heading back to
Brooklyn. The room was straightened up before folks headed off
to the Stateline Diner to continue the evening.
Next month the SFSNNJ returns to "haunt" the Bergen Museum
of Science at the Bergen Mall in Paramus with the legendary
"Ghost Hunter" Linda Zimmerman. (Steve Spinosa)
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